Michael P. Farris
Chairman of the Board
Chancellor of Patrick Henry College
Michael P. Farris is Chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association and Chancellor of Patrick Henry College.
Since founding HSLDA in 1983, Farris has used his extensive experience in both politics and appellate litigation to defend parental rights and help grow the organization to over 80,000 member families. He is also the founding president and current Chancellor of Patrick Henry College, a Christian institution with the mission of training students through a classical liberal arts curriculum and apprenticeship methodology to impact the world “for Christ and for Liberty.”
Farris has written over a dozen books, including three novels, a constitutional law textbook, and works on marriage, parenting, homeschooling, political advocacy, and religious liberty. His daily radio program, Home School Heartbeat, airs on several hundred stations nationwide.
In recognition of his work in home education, Education Week has named Farris one of the “Top 100 Faces in Education of the 20th Century.” Heritage Foundation awarded him its Salvatori Award for American Citizenship in 2002.
Mike and Vickie Farris live in Purcellville, Virginia, and have 10 children and 10 grandchildren.
| Title: | From Tyndale to Madison: The Battle for the Bible and the Foundation of American Liberty | | Length: | 30–60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session
| Topic:
| History, Political, Spiritual
| Audience:
| All
| Description:
| How the battle in England to publish God’s Word in the English language began a struggle for freedom that would impact the U.S. Bill of Rights.
|
| Title: | Homeschooling Freedom: Past, Present and Future | | Length: | 30–60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session
| Topic:
| Legal, Political
| Audience:
| All, New Homeschoolers, Support Group Leaders, Veteran Homeschoolers
| Description:
| Mike Farris relates some of his personal “war stories” from fighting for homeschooling freedoms during the past 20 years. He also discusses the question, “If it’s legal in all 50 states, why are there still problems?”
|
| Title: | Homeschooling Large Families | | Length: | 30–60 minutes
| Type:
| Workshop
| Topic:
| Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Fathers, Mothers, Parents
| Description:
| Mike Farris shares what he and his wife have learned through homeschooling 10 children for the past 20 years.
|
| Title: | Parental Rights: It’s Now Or Never | | Length: | 30-60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session
| Topic:
| Legal, Political
| Audience:
| All
| Description:
| Hear how the Supreme Court and our nation’s lower courts are failing to hold parental rights to the same legal standard as fundamental rights like speech and press, and how European court decisions on children’s rights are influencing our U.S. judicial system. Mike Farris describes three threats to parental rights that involve the political right, political left, and international law, and proposes a solution that will be the battle of the century for home schoolers and other pro-family forces.
|
| Title: | Real-Life Courtship | | Length: | 30–60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Marriage, Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Fathers, Mothers, Parents, Teens
| Description:
| Mike Farris shares the biblical vision for courtship and its value over traditional dating, plus what he has learned through the experience of his three oldest daughters’ courtships and marriages.
|
| Title: | Teaching Your Children the Constitution | | Length: | 30–60 minutes
| Type:
| Workshop
| Topic:
| Education
| Audience:
| All, Parents
| Description:
| Mike Farris discusses the importance of knowing the content and purpose of the founding documents of our country, and how that can impact our interpretation of issues today.
|
| Title: | The Homeschooling Father | | Length: | 30–60 minutes
| Type:
| Workshop
| Topic:
| Marriage, Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Fathers
| Description:
| Even busy executives with 10 children like Mike Farris can and should take part in homeschooling—not just in teaching, but in supporting their wives.
|
| Title: | The Joshua Generation : The Future Impact of Today’s Homeschoolers | | Length: | 30–60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Parenting, Political, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Parents, Teens
| Description:
| The first generation of homeschoolers has accomplished a great deal in seeing that families take charge of education. But homeschooling is done for a purpose—to train a generation to do even mightier things. How can we assure that our children become the Joshua generation?
|
| Title: | The Spiritual Power of a Mother | | Length: | 30–60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Mothers, Parents
| Description:
| Have you ever wondered how Samuel could remember the prayer of his mother when she sent him off to be trained by Eli? Hannah is just one example of a mother who dramatically impacted the life of her child by her prayer, her protection, her instruction, and her overcoming spirit. These uplifting stories should encourage all parents—but especially mothers—as we sacrifice to homeschool our children.
|
If you would like to schedule Mike Farris as a speaker for your upcoming event, contact his assistant, Amanda Taylor, at Amanda@hslda.org. Mike asks for at least one general session to be chosen from his political/legal speech category. Additional talks may be chosen from any of the categories. Mike is willing to speak five or more times over the course of two days, but no more than three times in one day. 
He requires the host to pay for his travel and hotel expenses, but his speaking fees are negotiable. Contact Amanda Taylor for information. |
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